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Tuesday, July 09, 2019

She's Got the Look

 Can it be July already? Seems impossible. June was a blur of activity, none of it much fun, but nonetheless necessary. I'm a rather organised person but by the time the 4th of July rolled around, I was just happy to have 4 days without anything to do. Well, I did do *something*. I discovered pre-mixed sangria in a can, and worked on consuming itšŸ˜€. That went better than my adventures with cheap Rose, which I really don't recommend.

 I've been going easy on the makeup this summer, at least during the heatwave. We're keeping cool, and I went 10 days without using the oven. I like the forced creativity of cooking in a heatwave. We had blini with tinned fish and pickles, salads, ratatouille, that sort of thing. The garden has been growing like mad, so we have a steady supply of chard, lettuce, basil, and edible flowers like nasturtiums. I love being able to pull together a meal from the tiny spot in front of the house. We have tomatoes, but they are still green.
Outfit Particulars:
Tee-shirt-Target
Trousers-Hand-Me-Ups
Belt-Goodwill
Vintage sportcoat-Goodwill

Blondin, what are YOU doing inMarysville Kansas?
I hadn't planned to visit Kansas that day, but I was already in Beatrice, Nebraska and it was such a short drive over. When I heard about the black squirrels, I had to go. You know how I feel about squirrels!
Long story short-some squirrels were let loose by a travelling circus and they became established in the town. The squirrels have protected status in Marysville.
The city park was full of them scampering about, but were hard to photograph. 

 The structure below is what Midwesterners call a "Sod house.": Stop snickering. Sod as in turf. The early pioneers didn't have much wood on the prairies to build with, so they used the turf. Because the soil here is basically heavy clay, it does a good job of insulating in winter and staying cool in summer.


 Visitors can peer inside, but it is fenced off.

Not terribly spacious but after being in a covered waggon, it probably seemed palatial.


The old train depot is in good condition, but it was closed when I visited.

 And of course, there was a train.

So that was a nice side-visit to Kansas. Back in Nebraska, there were things to see as well...


 The Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, Nebraska was my destination for the day (before I was side-tracked by the promise of exotic squirrels). That's a one-room schoolhouse behind me...let's have a look inside.

 When we moved to Nebraska there were still a few of these schools in use, but I think they are all gone now. In small communities it made sense to teach a number of grades in one place if there were only a few students. Today, they bus the children to larger schools.
Danny would be in serious trouble if he wore a cap into a classroom! He barely fit in that desk.
 Isn't it beautiful? I know our weather can be harsh, but we get to live in such a gorgeous place. Except for the litter on the side of the road. I really wish people wouldn't do that.
I called in to Et Cetera thrift shop in Seward on the trip home, because it never fails to have something great on offer. Here's the loot from the visit. The necklace with the emerald coloured stones will look beautiful with a black sweater this winter.

Not to dwell on it, but I REALLY wasn't kidding about staying away from cheap, pink, wine! Strangely though, I like this photo of myself with the smudged mascara and "The Look" I've been told I have more often than not. Some people have Resting Bitch Face. I have this vaguely embarrassed face that veers between incredulous and bored. Or so I've been told. Anyway, it just gets worse with alcohol. 


Back to the vintage clothing. Ignore the fallen hem (Why don't I notice these things before photos?) but take a look at this fun, rayon blend vintage Hawaiian dress. It has an Empire waist, which typically doesn't work for me, but in this case is just perfect. There's a zip up the back, and string ties on the shoulders giving it a perfect fit. As green is my favourite colour, I couldn't pass it up. The straw shoes and bag are also true vintage. 
I pinned the top closed with a flower brooch. It didn't need it really, but better safe than sorry. 
I wore a few bakelite and lucite bangles interspersed with wooden and bamboo ones. 
Outfit Particulars:
Vintage Hawaiian dress-Goodwill
Bangles and rings-all over
Vintage shoes-Goodwill (I think?)
Vintage straw bag-Antique mall
Shell earrings-World Market about 12 years ago
While I wasn't using the oven, I got creative with sweets. These are called Haystacks and are butterscotch baking chips melted with peanut butter and mixed with chow mien noodles. I put the candy eyes on it because it reminded me of the Philly Flyers mascot, Gritty
I do love the Gritty Memes. Anyway, haystacks are delicious even if you skip the Gritty eyes. 


 How about one more vintage Hawaiian dress? Yes?
 The "Look" again. Sorry!

 Outfit Particulars:
Vintage Hawaiian dress-Hand-Me-Ups
Earrings-Target
Vintage bangle-Goodwill
Hair flower-Tiff and Tam
Vintage handbag-Etsy
Shoes-K Mart

Does this dress look familiar? I have the long sleeved version in the same fabric.
What can I say? When I find something I like, I stick with it.
 The look makes another appearance.
Outfit Particulars:
silk dress-Goodwill
Handbag-Goodwill
Vintage stretch bracelet-Goodwill
Vintage charm bracelet-Goodwill


On the perfume front, I've been enjoying some vintage Cardin.
This is such a gorgeous perfume. Leather and oakmoss? Yes, please! The green notes are beautiful, and I barely notice the Hyacinth (not my favourite note). 
I really wanted to love this one, but it is just too sweet for me. I might try it again in the winter, but in a Nebraska summer, vanilla and fig leaf (which is very vanilla to my nose) are simply too much. 
Green water, however is perfection in a heatwave. Mint, basil, ginger...carrot? It shouldn't work, but it does. The oakmoss is synthetic, but nice. If I didn't know it, I wouldn't notice. I have no idea what the original Green Water was like, but this one is beautiful. 

 I'll leave you with one more summery outfit.
 Yellow and white is such a fresh colour combination. Like sorbet and vanilla.


 Outfit Particulars:
Top-Shop-Ko about 10 years ago
Flower-Tiff and Tam
Skirt-Thrift World
Shoes-Goodwill
handbag-Hand-Me-Ups
Earrings-Goodwill

I finally gave in and ordered a new phone. It will be interesting to see if it takes better photos. I didn't want one, but our pay-as-you-go provider stopped supporting the model I had. Anyway, something new to learn. I guess that's good.

This weekend is the Wayne Chicken Show. It is the first year Danny has competed in the adult competition. He's expecting to get 2nd place because the man who wins 1st has been doing it for years and Danny wouldn't actually want to beat him. Being second to a legend is just perfect as far as we're concerned. Anyway, it will be in the 90s and humid-perfect for sitting around outside for hours. I'm bringing a cooler with cold drinks.

Cock a doodle do! See you later!



















































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11 comments:

  1. bahnwƤrterin6:30 AM

    thanks for taking me with you on your trip to the sights of kansas and nebraska - building houses with turf seems a clever way - in northern europe with its harsh climate and tundra environment they did it too....
    happy to hear your garden is growing lots of veggies - here its not such a good year :-( but for flowers :-)
    would have fought with you over the green hawaiian dress! so pretty! and i really love the ensemble with the red dress and the tan bolero - very chic!
    your "scientist look" with cargo pants and checked blazer is cool! you are cool!
    xxxxx

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  2. Bibi Maizoon7:26 AM

    My aging liver does not seem to detoxify inexpensive vintages either these days. A couple glasses of a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc left me with a nasty headache for hours and an aftertaste of coal tar that lasted for days.
    Looks like miles of sunshine and fresh air in Kansas- that loot is divine!
    Those Hawaiian dresses of yours are always my favorites.
    Pierre Cardin made lovely perfumes & clothes in the 80s then disappeared?
    Cristobal sounds like something I'd love.
    Jacques Fath is one of my favorite 50s designers - have not heard his name in ages!
    Heading to Miami in September, fingers crossed my flight does not get canceled due to hurricanes.

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  3. Polyester Princess11:02 AM

    Well of course you had to go and see those squirrels! The Homestead National Museum looks quite interesting too. That's exactly the kind of thing we would seek out as well. As for your outfits, I love both of your magnificent Hawaiian dresses, as well as the yellow and white outfit. Especially that handbag, which I've been swooning over since I first laid eyes on it onn Instagram. I love the sound of the Green Water perfume, and will nip into the perfume shop near my office to see if they have it, so that I can have a sniff! Growing your own veg and fruit is very rewarding. Jos has just made jam from the white currants from our garden. xxx

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  4. Vronni's Style Meanderings11:57 AM

    I love the turf house and we have similar examples in Ireland. I've seen a one room school house, too, in the folk museum in Donegal. I loved how each desk had a chair attached to the front of it in your photo. Very nifty!

    I do not envy you those soaring temperatures; but you are looking remarkably cool in those fabulous Hawaiian dresses. They are wonderful; love the colours and the prints. All your accessories are so interesting and colourful and as for that haul of jewellery - amazing! You were wearing an absolutely beautiful coat over that fabulous deep red dress but you didn't say where you got it from. Is it from the early 60s? It certainly reminds me of clothes from that time. I found a genuine 1970s maxi dress yesterday for 7.50 but it was a size too small for me; I felt like crying. It's the first one I've ever found here, too!

    I don't know any of the perfumes you described - lovely bottles by the way - but I do like the sound of the Green one. I didn't even know Jacques Faith made perfume!

    As for the alcohol it's best to find what you like and stick with it. I like white wine; Cabernet Sauvignon, usually. I once drank a Cabernet Colombard all evening and was as sick as a dog the next day. We were going to watch a performance of a friend's play at a small theatre in Richmond and I had to get out of the car twice and vomit in the street. Needless to say I've never drank it since! I do like Canadian Club and Ginger Ale, too.

    Hope you are getting some respite from the heat now.
    xxx

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  5. Emily from Etsy10:10 AM

    It's awesome to know that your garden is thriving again after that unexpected hailstorm! You must have a little homesteader in you to be able to garden so handily and cook so creatively.

    I never think to pair bright red outfits with tan accessories, but you pulled it off beautifully and you've inspired me to try again. I think my mistake in the past has been to pair red shirts with khaki pants and then go to Target, not realizing until I got there that I would be mistaken for an employee, LOL. So I think the key to wearing these two colors stylishly and without making it look like a work uniform is to build an outfit around a skirt or dress (not a shirt and pants combo!) and stay out of Target.

    Thanks for the tour of Marysville. The scenery is lovely, and the one-room schoolhouse looks like it could be the set of a movie.

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  6. Vix11:58 PM

    Thanks for taking us to Kansas and that fabulous old schoolhouse in Nebraska! Those squirrels remind me of the bears Birmingham had a few years ago, each was decorated by an artist or famous person, you got a map to locate them and after six months they were auctioned off to raise funds for the Children's Hospital. I'd love a massive black squirrel in my garden.
    Love your Hawaiian dresses! xxx

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  7. Mrs Rat10:34 AM

    I'm not sure that I could eat something with eyes that look back at me---sugar or not. But those haystacks sound crunchy and sweet, and different than my family's version of "haystacks," which were white rice mounds piled with chicken, crunchy vegetables, canned pineapple and mandarin oranges, and assorted other garnishes. The other thing your haystacks reminded me of is the SNL episode that featured the gardening show hosted by the man who was afraid of plants (Christopher Walken).

    Your Hawaiian dresses are my favorites of this past month's outfits! And I am impressed by your jewelry, as always.

    I sympathize about the heat---we are getting hundred degree days right now, too, and are eating lots of cold salads with kale picked from our own tiny townhouse garden. I hope that you and your garden survive the weather!

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  8. Beth Waltz5:12 PM

    The vintage green sarong is pure vintage Dorothy Lamour! She'd have worn it with a turban to cope with the hair vs humidity, red lipstick and a stiff drink*.

    My uncle was a Seabee during WWII and reported encountering Bing, Bob and Dorothy en route to entertain the troops. Large quantities of medicinal beverages had been consumed, he said, and while the lads had to be handled as cargo, Dottie walked down the ramp under her own power. He also recalled her favoring large sunglasses...and lots of ice* in her drinks.

    Perhaps the cheap rose would be improved by quantities of ice?

    Must say I'm intrigued by your review of Green Water. I believe this is the first time you listed "carrot". ?

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  9. Miss Magpie8:23 AM

    I love squirrels unless they are in my garden destroying my bird feeders, so i would have detoured too.

    When we got given some very nasty cheap rose so I made a sort of sangria with lots of ice it was about drinkable then!

    I absolutely LOVE your Hawaiian dresses.

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  10. Mim9:38 AM

    Premixed sangria sounds a good thing - all the tourist shops in Spain sell it. We make ours at home but that means using a whole bottle of wine and then we have to drink it all because I hate waste and it all gets a bit messy ;-) Probably safer with a small one in a tin!

    I do love seeing all your outfits. That yellow and white one is so fresh!

    Saw a scary graphic about predicted summer heat in the US because of global warming; Nebraska was right in a dark scarlet area. It's going to be HOT.

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  11. Goody6:59 PM

    @Beate
    I wonder if our settlers from Sweden brought the idea for the sod house from home? We have a large Scandinavian population in Nebraska and Kansas. I hope your garden picks up speed soon.


    @Bibi
    I suppose the answer is for us to only drink the best! I hope you get good weather, though flying into FL in hurricane season is not without that risk. I would fall over in literal shock if I ever found Fath clothing! That's like Holy Grail vintage.

    @Ann
    I've been trying to see more of our historical sites in the area. Growing up, we'd be forced to stop at every historical marker along the roadway which made drives as a family more interesting, and gave me a chance to breathe fresh air after being in a car with 3 smokers! Now that no one smokes, I never bother to stop.

    @ veronica
    I should have mentioned the coat-I think it is late 50s/early 60s. It has a hood! I knew people used peat as fuel for fires in Ireland, but didn't realise it was used for housing as well. I guess we use what's available.

    I am certain you will eventually find a vintage maxi. I once got horribly sick from bourbon and won't touch it to this day! Have a good trip to Ireland and I'll look forward to hearing about it when you are back.

    @Emily
    Staying out of Target is a worthy goal, no matter your attire (but I do confess a weakness for the clothes in the kid's department, which being 5 ft tall work perfectly for me). Red and dark brown work too.

    I just got lucky with the garden. I swear I have no idea what I'm doing.

    @Vix
    Kansas is an interesting place that gets stereotyped because of The Wizard of Oz...though they DO get tornadoes!
    I love that sort of public art that gets put to good charity use. I wish more cities did that.

    @Mrs Rat
    Your haystacks sound fascinating. I love the idea of fruit with savoury dishes but my family resist the idea. I ince out cut up grapes in tuna salad and they thought I'd lost the plot!

    I hope you're managing in the heat. Our 101 F today came with a heat index of 117 and I'm just speechless. I'm terrified for people working or living outdoors in this.

    @Beth
    That is the BEST story! You should be writing these down.
    I've been known to put ice in cheap, American beer but shhhh...don't tell anyone ;)

    @Miss Magpie
    Squirrels will raid the feeders, that's for certain. I've trained ours to eat stuff we leave for them in easier reach but if they want the seeds instead, they'll go for it.

    @Mim
    If we had to finish off a bottle of wine poor Mr. ETB would be out of it for days! He's a one drink every 6 months sort of guy.

    It is already getting worse, but will people pull their fucking heads out of the sand and do something about it?! This week has seen two markets canceled due to heat, and a concert. It won't be long before outdoor activities won't be possible in July and August, but people just refuse to believe the science.

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